South Korea intends to set up a temporary strategic investment corporation to manage the country’s US$350 billion investment commitment to the United States, a pledge tied to the bilateral tariff agreement finalised last month. Details of the plan were announced on Wednesday in a joint statement from the finance and industry ministries.
The new entity, tentatively called the Korea-U.S. Strategic Investment Corp., will run for up to 20 years and operate a dedicated fund to channel the investment. Its establishment is outlined in a special bill submitted by the ruling Democratic Party, designed to support Seoul’s implementation of the long-term investment programme.
The bill submission follows the summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in Gyeongju on 29 October, where both sides agreed on the final structure of the US$350 billion pledge. Under the terms agreed, South Korea will provide US$200 billion in cash payments, capped at US$20 billion annually, alongside an additional US$150 billion earmarked for bilateral cooperation in shipbuilding.
In exchange, the U.S. administration has agreed to cut tariffs on Korean automobiles from 25 percent to 15 percent. The reduced tariff rate will be applied retroactively from the beginning of the month in which the bill is formally submitted.
Following the submission, Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan sent an official communiqué to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. According to Kim’s office, the letter informed Washington of the legislative move and urged the U.S. administration to promptly publish the retroactive tariff changes for Korean vehicles in the Federal Register.
The planned investment corporation will be financed by government capital and tasked with creating, managing and operating the Korea-U.S. strategic investment fund. Funding will come from returns generated on foreign exchange reserves entrusted by the government and the Bank of Korea, as well as through the issuance of government-guaranteed bonds overseas.
Officials said the special bill includes provisions requiring authorities to adhere to safeguard measures outlined in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) underpinning the investment pledge. These measures include the US$20 billion annual cap, adjustments to the timing or size of instalments if concerns arise regarding instability in Korea’s foreign exchange market, and the need to select “commercially reasonable” projects.
Under the MOU, both governments will also form a Consultation Committee, led by South Korea’s industry minister, and an Investment Committee, chaired by the U.S. commerce secretary. The committees will oversee a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to be created by the U.S. side to manage joint investment projects.
The announcement marks one of the most complex bilateral investment arrangements undertaken by Seoul, combining trade concessions, large-scale capital commitments and regulatory safeguards designed to manage risks over the two-decade framework.
